


Goodnight Kiss

by sunflowerstyles



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, M/M, and afraid of thunderstorms, harry is 6, louis is 8, this is extremely fluffy good luck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 17:52:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4147206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflowerstyles/pseuds/sunflowerstyles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six-year-old Harry is nervous about spending the night away from home for the first time, but eight-year-old Louis and his happy energy distract Harry from his homesickness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goodnight Kiss

Harry and Louis played on the tire swings in Harry’s backyard, watching the sun beginning to set over his house. They were chatting idly and giggling whenever their swings bumped into each other.

“Look, Louis. Mum’s turned on the porch lights. That means we need to say goodbye soon ‘cause it’s getting late,” Harry said rather disappointedly, pointing at his house.

“But guess what? My mum’s moved my bedtime ‘til eight- _thirty_ now since I’m getting older,” Louis said with pride.

Harry stared at him with wide eyes, always impressed with Louis and how much older he seemed to be. “Really?” he asked in amazement.

Louis smirked proudly. “Yep. Maybe you’ll get to stay up later when you’re eight years old, too!”

“But that’s _so_ far away from now! Gemma doesn’t even _have_ a bedtime anymore,” Harry pouted.

“So come over to my house, Hazza. We can stay up late and make a fort and read with flashlights under the blankets. Sometimes I cheat and stay up even _later_ than eight-thirty by doing that,” Louis deviously confessed to him.

Harry looked at him with admiration. Louis was always doing clever things like this; Harry loved it when Louis thought of fun, sneaky adventures for the two of them to embark on.

“Like a slumber party, you mean? That’s what Gemma calls it with her friends.”

“No, Hazza! That’s where girls talk about boys they like from school, silly!”

Harry glanced at him and blushed heavily; that activity didn’t seem unappealing to him in the slightest. His sister told him he was too young to have a crush, but there was one boy two classes ahead of him who he could never get tired of looking at.

“You should come spend the night, though. Then we don’t have to say goodbye when it gets dark and we can just keep playing,” Louis continued, kicking hard off a big tree and swinging past Harry.

Harry’s insides twisted a little. He’d never spent the night at someone else’s house before, and he wasn’t fond of the idea of his mother not being there to tuck him in like she did every night. He watched Louis playing energetically on his swing and considered the fact that with Louis around all night, there was a substantially smaller chance of him even thinking about being homesick.

“What’s wrong, Hazza?” Louis asked upon noticing Harry had stopped swinging and was staring thoughtfully at the ground.

“Nothin’,” he responded quietly. “It’s just… I’ve never spent the night away from home, you know,” Harry confided in him.

Louis frowned slightly. “Oh. Well, I only live across the street, so it’s okay if you get homesick. You can just look out my window!” Louis supplied.

Harry giggled at his suggestion. “Okay, then. I have to ask Mum first, though. And I need to go inside soon, too,” he said. “Are you gonna stay out longer now that your bedtime’s later?”

Louis made a thoughtful face before answering. “Nah. It won’t be nearly as fun if you’re not with me.”

Harry grinned at that. “Goodbye then, Louis,” he said, making to get off the swing before Louis stopped him.

“Wait, Harry. Kick off of your tree and I will, too,” Louis instructed, already beginning to build up his momentum.

“Why?” Harry asked, already complying.

“Just ’cause. Gimme your hand.”

Harry looked at him curiously but swung farther and farther until he could reach Louis who was swinging from the tree a couple meters from Harry. Louis was holding out a hand as well, his fingertips brushing Harry’s as he tried to grab on.

They successfully linked hands at last, and Louis grabbed onto his tire to pull him closer. He hooked his feet inside the swing and grabbed Harry’s face in his hands, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek before letting Harry go and causing him to fly backwards on the swing.

Louis jumped off his swing as Harry was giggling uncontrollably, swinging widely from side to side. Louis stood up from where he crashed on the grassy ground and waved at Harry.

“Bye, Haz! See you tomorrow!” he said as Harry waved back, waiting for the tire swing to slow down. He watched Louis jog home, already halfway across Harry’s backyard before turning around and shouting, “Remember to ask your mum!”

-

“Slow down, Harry! It’s not a race,” Anne chided as Harry shoveled in spoonfuls of cereal at a record pace. “Take your time. I don’t want you getting a tummy ache.”

“But Louis wanted to ride bikes to the park today! I wanna go play with him,” Harry explained between bites.

“You’ve got all day, love. There’s plenty of time,” Anne told him, smiling at his son’s eagerness to play with his best friend.

Harry took his last few bites and hastily drank the leftover milk, carelessly spilling some on his shirt.

“Oh! And Mum- Can me and Louis have a sleepover at his house?”

Anne furrowed her eyebrows, hesitating before answering him. “Are you sure, sweetie? You’ve never spent the night away from home before,” Anne reminded him in a concerned tone.

“Please? I won’t be scared, I promise. Louis says we can stay up late and make forts!”

“I better not be hearing about you staying up all night, Harry. Your bedtime isn’t going to change if you spend the night away from home.”

“But Mum! Louis’ is eight-thirty now!”

“And yours is exactly eight o’clock,” Anne told him before her stern façade faded. “But I suppose going to sleep a few minutes later won’t hurt,” she continued. “I’ll call Jay later today and we’ll talk,” Anne finished, smiling at Harry’s excited expression.

“Thank you, Mum! Can I go play with Louis now?” Harry asked, already making a break for the front door.

“You better wear your helmet, Harry. I _will_ find out if you don’t!” Anne warned, calling after Harry as he ran out the house.

-

A week later, Harry was excitedly packing his backpack, getting ready to spend the night with Louis. Anne had spoken to Jay, and it was agreed upon that Harry could spend the night as long as he was in bed by 10:00.

Harry and Louis were buzzing, so eager to play together all night and start back up again first thing in the morning.

Once Harry was ready with an overnight bag, Anne walked him across the street and gave him several last-minute reminders.

“You must be polite the entire time. Remember to tell Jay please and thank you and help clean up your dinner dishes. And don’t be too loud, Harry. Keep in mind Louis’ got a baby sister. Babies need a lot of sleep,” Anne said.

“I know, Mum! I’m gonna be good, I promise.”

“I’m sure you will,” Anne said, squeezing his hand and knocking on the Tomlinsons’ door.

Jay answered and greeted them warmly, Louis quickly appearing behind her. Harry’s eyes lit up at the boy and grinned as Louis reached out to tug him inside.

“Have a good night, Harry. Be good! I love you,” Anne said, bending down for a hug.

“Bye, Mum. Love you, too,” Harry replied, giving his mother a big hug. He was suddenly reminded that she wasn’t going to be there to tuck him in at night or give him a kiss right before bed. He felt scared and nervous, but didn’t dare allow himself to cry in front of Louis. He was six years old; six was much too old to act like a cry-baby. He hugged Anne tightly and gave her a kiss before pulling away. Anne thanked Jay once again and departed for the night.

“Did you eat your dinner yet, Harry? Mum says we can have pizza!” Louis said loudly.

“Inside voices, Boo. Charlotte’s asleep,” Jay chastised.

Harry giggled and shook his head. “We didn’t eat yet. I like pizza,” he told Louis with a grin.

Louis smiled back. “What do you like on it? I can eat it with those really hot peppers,” Louis bragged.

Harry looked at him with awe. “My dad can’t even eat those!”

Louis smiled proudly, always looking for ways to impress his younger friend. “Mum says not to touch my face after eating it ‘cause your eyes can burn and you go blind!”

Harry’s jaw dropped in fright. Would they be eating pizza like that tonight? His mother said to be polite and eat whatever he was offered for dinner.

“Louis!” Jay scolded. “I didn’t say it like that! Don’t scare him,” she said, placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “What do _you_ like on your pizza, Harry?”

Harry smiled again. “Just cheese, please,” he answered.

Louis pinched his side and giggled. “You made a rhyme! Is that all you like? What about anchovies? Those make your breath stink real bad!”

“That’s enough, Lou. Let Harry speak.”

“I like all kinds of veggies, too. But maybe not the spicy ones,” Harry told her nervously.

“We won’t be eating anything spicy. Louis’ just trying to scare you.”

“Louis!?” he said, half offended but half amused.

“’M sorry, Hazza. Do you wanna go play now?” Louis asked with a sheepish smile, already tugging on Harry’s wrist.

“Keep it down, sweetie. Your sister’s asleep,” Jay reminded him again as Harry followed Louis to his room.

-

After dinner, Harry and Louis made it halfway through all of Louis’ board games, Louis becoming distracted with something new each time. Now, though, he was settled down as he and Harry embarked on a Shrek marathon. They were pressed close together on Louis’ bed and laughing at the movies on the screen of a small TV Louis had hooked up to a VHS player. Louis was doing impressions of the characters, never getting enough of Harry’s endless giggles and rosy cheeks when he made him laugh.

Halfway through the second movie, light thunder rumbled outside. Harry’s ears perked up; he immediately became uneasy at the thought of a thunderstorm.

“Did ya hear that, Lou?” Harry asked quietly.

“Hmm? What?” Louis answered, looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.

“Nothin’,” Harry replied, staring in his lap and pressing closer to Louis. He wasn’t fond of thunderstorms at all, almost always opting to wait them out by sleeping in his parents’ bed. He couldn’t do that tonight, though, and blunt jolts of panic hit him as he thought of loud thunder flourishing up above.

Another roll of thunder sounded from outside, rattling the windows of Louis’ bedroom. Harry gasped loudly and buried his face in Louis’ pajama shirt.

Louis looked down at his younger friend in worry. “Don’t like thunderstorms, Harry?”

Harry shook his head, wiling himself not to cry in front of Louis. Louis put his arm around Harry and hugged him closer. “I used to be scared of them, too. It’s okay.”

Harry looked up at him with wide eyes. “Really?”

“Mhm,” Louis said, nodding and shrugging. “Not anymore, though. We learned about them in school, and they don’t scare me anymore.”

“Oh,” Harry said, feeling immature but helpless as rain began pounding hard on the window. “I’m scared of… tornadoes and all that as well,” Harry confessed.

Louis smiled down at him. “Silly Harry, that’s not gonna happen. ‘S just a storm.”

Harry gave a small smile and cuddled closer into Louis, hoping to let himself be distracted by the movie.

Louis could feel him flinch at every crack of thunder and grew upset from knowing Harry was growing more and more uncomfortable. As the movie ended, Harry was tense and fisting a hand in Louis’ shirt.

“It’s only eight o’clock, Hazza,” Louis informed him, glancing at his bedside clock. “Let’s go get Mum. She always makes me the tea that makes you sleepy when I get scared. I bet she’ll make you some, too.”

“Okay,” Harry replied, unwillingly shifting himself away from Louis and off his bed. Louis slid off, too, and immediately grabbed Harry’s hand in his own.

They walked to Louis’ living room where Jay sat watching TV and folding laundry.

“Hey, Mum?” Louis said from the doorway. Jay looked at the two boys, Louis with a distinctly worried expression and Harry appearing to be on the edge of tears.

“What’s wrong, Boo? Is everything alright?” she asked in a concerned tone.

“Harry doesn’t like the storm,” Louis explained. Harry blushed and leaned into Louis, wishing he could be home with his own mother. “Could you make that sleepy tea for him?”

Jay’s features softened immediately as she gazed sympathetically at Harry. “Of course I can,” she replied, setting aside the laundry and guiding the boys to the kitchen.

Harry followed Louis to the kitchen table where the two of them sat down, Harry gazing outside at the lightening illuminating Louis’ backyard every now and then. Louis kept a strong grip on Harry’s hand, squeezing tight every time Harry whimpered at the thunder. He looked over and noticed Harry had tears down his cheeks. Louis pulled away his hand to wrap both arms comfortingly around Harry’s quivering body.

Jay came back with a steaming mug and set it down in front of Harry. “It’s a bit hot, love. Wait for it to cool down first, okay?” she said, stroking Harry’s hair in a relaxing, motherly way.

Harry nodded and sniffled, wiping away his tears. “Thank you,” he replied quietly. He blew on his tea for a little while as Louis and his mother kept him company.

After pondering his circumstances for a bit he spoke up again. “May I call my mum?” Harry asked politely, on the brink of tears again as he thought about how much he missed her already.

“Of course you may, sweetie,” Jay replied kindly, standing up to hand Harry the wall phone connected by a curled cord in the kitchen when the light above the table flickered for several seconds and went out.

Harry’s breathing grew more ragged; along with thunderstorms he wasn’t very keen on the dark either. His mother always made sure to flick on his nightlight after tucking him in every night since he felt scared in complete darkness. He noticed that no sounds were coming from the living room, which meant the house was out of power for the night.

“Lou,” Harry whined quietly, curling in closer to his friend. He pressed his face against Louis’ shirt, getting it damp with his tears as he silently cried into his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Harry. It’s okay,” Louis told him, running a hand up and down Harry’s back.

“I’ve got a cell phone around here somewhere, dear. Don’t worry,” Jay told him, her voice coming from behind the boys in the darkness. “Let me find a flashlight first.” They heard the sound of drawers opening and closing and being rummaged through.

She procured one at last, flicking it on and casting a beam of light around the room. “I’ll be back in a minute, boys. Sit tight.”

Harry sniffled against Louis’ shoulder, feeling more and more frightened by the minute. “Louis…” he said quietly, pressing close into his friend.

“Yeah?”

“I think I wanna go home, Lou. This is scary,” Harry admitted, feeling uneasy and embarrassed for confessing this to Louis.

“But… you’ll get all wet outside, Hazza. And… and we were gonna make a blanket fort, remember?” Louis said, sad and confused at Harry’s words.

“I’m sorry. I miss my mum,” Harry added after a stretch of silence.

“Okay,” Louis replied quietly. “Have your tea, Harry. You won’t be so scared after that,” he insisted.

Harry nodded and agreed softly. Louis pressed a kiss into his hair, hugging him tighter before letting him go. Harry took a few sips of the chamomile tea, feeling it warm his body and relax him slightly. It smelled just like the kind his own mother made him when he was sick.

“Here it is, Harry,” Jay said as she returned to the kitchen with her cell phone and flashlight. She handed the phone to Harry and sat down at the table, placing the flashlight standing up on the table so it could dimly illuminate the room. “Do you know your mum’s cell phone number, love?” Jay asked him gently.

Harry sniffed again and nodded. “Thank you,” he said, accepting the phone and carefully pushing the right buttons in the right order. He held the phone to his ear as he listened to the dial tone impatiently.

“Hello?” Anne’s voice answered after the second ring.

“Mum? It’s Harry,” Harry told her, speaking into the phone in a quiet voice.

“Oh, Harry,” Anne said, relief evident in her voice. “How are you doing, sweetie? Are you alright?”

“Um… yeah,” Harry answered in an unsure voice. Louis reached over to grab Harry’s free hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’m alright,” he said, his voice becoming more stable as he held Louis’ hand under the table.

“Are you okay with staying the night with the Tomlinsons? I know you’re not keen on storms, baby. It’s okay to want to come home,” Anne told him gently.

“I… um….” Harry tried, attempting to make up his mind quickly. He thought of Louis next to him, squeezing his hand comfortingly and of the warm tea in front of him he wanted to finish. “I can spend the night here, Mum. I’m okay. ‘M not scared, Louis’ here,” he said. It was technically a lie, but he knew his mother was already worrying about him. He wanted to stay, and if he had to wait out a thunderstorm away from home, there’s no place he’d rather be than with Louis.

“If you’re sure, dear... Jay’s with you, I’m sure she understands,” Anne reminded him gently.

“I know. She’s made me the tea you make for me when I’m sick,” Harry told her.

“That’s sweet of her. Make sure you tell her ‘thank you’,” she said.

“I _know_ , Mum. I already have,” Harry replied.

“That’s a good boy. Just hold on ‘til the storm blows over. It won’t last all night,” she comforted Harry.

“Okay,” Harry said in a small voice.

“Are you getting ready to sleep soon, baby?” Anne asked.

“Yeah, I feel a bit sleepy already.”

“Alright. Sweet dreams, then. I love you, Harry,” she told him gently.

Harry curled in on himself slightly. He was aching for a hug and kiss from his mother, wanting her to tuck him in and maybe read a story until the thunderstorm stopped. He let a few tears roll down his cheeks silently before answering, “I love you, too, Mummy.”

“Have a nice night, baby. Can you hand the phone to Jay for a moment?”

“Yeah,” Harry answered.

“Thank you, love. Be good. Sleep tight, Harry. I’ll see you soon.”

Harry wiped at his eyes again. “Goodnight, Mum. See you,” he said before giving the phone back to Jay. He returned to his mug of tea, taking a few more sips as Louis rubbed his thumb across Harry’s. He looked up to smile shyly at Louis, his tears mostly gone by now.

Louis leaned over to give him a quick kiss on his cheek. “I’m happy you’re staying, Hazza,” Louis told him quietly while Jay spoke to Anne on the phone.

“Me, too,” Harry said, feeling proud of himself for making the decision.

Harry finished his tea as Jay wished Anne a goodnight and hung up the phone.

“Are you boys ready for bed?” Jay asked them.

Louis looked to Harry, letting him answer for himself. “I am,” Harry said through a yawn.

“Me, too,” Louis agreed.

“Alright, then,” Jay said, walking to the pantry and bending down to retrieve a water bottle from the case on the floor and returning to hand it to Louis along with the flashlight. “Brush your teeth as best you can with this while I finish the laundry and check on Charlotte. I’ll come back to say goodnight,” she explained.

“Okay. Come on, Harry. Let’s get ready,” Louis said, taking the empty mug to the the sink before leading Harry to the bathroom.

Though he was more subdued as bedtime approached, Louis still tried hard to make Harry laugh to cheer him up. He excitedly showed Harry is toothbrush that had a ninja turtle figurine for a handle and made faces with Harry in the bathroom mirror with the flashlight as they brushed their teeth together.

They made their way back to Louis’ bedroom when Harry spoke up again in a quiet voice. “I didn’t bring a sleeping bag. I don’t have one. But I have my pillow from home?” Harry said in an unsure voice.

“Is that Lion King on it? I love that movie!” Louis told him happily. Harry smiled at Louis’ enthusiasm, relieved that he didn’t find it too childish.

Jay walked in just then. “It’s time for bed, boys. You two can have the couch to yourselves, if you’d like?” she suggested.

“Me and Harry can just share my bed, Mum. I don’t mind,” Louis said, pulling Harry into his side with a smile.

“Are you okay with that, dear?” Jay asked. Harry bit back a grin and nodded happily, pleased to be sleeping so close to Louis tonight. Surely he wouldn’t be scared with Louis nearby.

“Okay, then. In you get, you two.”

Louis climbed in under his blue plaid comforter followed by Harry. Harry attempted to keep to himself as best he could while sharing a twin bed, but Louis cuddled up close to him, leaning his head on Harry’s shoulder and quickly flicking the flashlight on and off and giggling to himself.

Jay plucked it out of his hands and shined it to the ground. “Alright, Lou. It’s not a toy,” she chastised, smoothing his hair down. She leaned over to kiss his cheek and told him, “Goodnight, Boo. I love you.”

Harry subtly turned away at the interaction; he couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t had a goodnight kiss and been tucked in by his own mother. Just as he was beginning to let his homesickness get the better of him once again, Jay turned to him next.

“Goodnight, Harry, dear,” she told him, gently placing a hand on his cheek. “Your mum’s told me to give you this.” Jay leaned down to kiss his forehead and the boys bid her a final goodnight as well. She pulled up the comforter and flicked off the flashlight, placing it on Louis’ nightstand.

Harry smiled contentedly as Jay left the room, deciding her kindness would definitely keep his uncertainty and homesickness at bay for the night. He rested his head on his Lion King pillow, relaxing into Louis’ cuddle and looking up to the ceiling.

“That’s wicked, Louis! You’ve got outer space in your bedroom!” Harry whispered excitedly upon noticing the glow-in-the-dark stickers of stars and moons and planets Louis had.

“I know!” Louis whispered back, smiling at Harry’s newfound happiness at a rather simple display. “I put a kitchen chair on my bed to stand on and stuck them on myself,” he continued proudly.

“You stuck the stickers… on yourself?” Harry asked, a growing grin taking over his face.

“Not on my _body_ , silly!” Louis said, jabbing him in the side as Harry giggled endlessly at his own joke. Harry poked him back, the two of them engaging in a tickling war. Amidst the laughing and rustling of bed sheets, Harry heard the sound of crinkling paper and slowed his movements in confusion.

“What’s that under your pillow, Lou?” he asked curiously.

Louis’ face lit up in delight as he rummaged in the pillowcase. “I forget to show you! I got the new Spiderman two days ago and I wanted to look at it with you, Hazza! Gimme the flashlight, please.”

Harry handed it to him and Louis ducked under the covers. He peered interestedly at the lump moving toward the end of the bed until he let out a gasp, feeling hands wrap around his ankles as he was pulled underneath the sheets. Harry erupted with giggles once more, Louis following soon after.

Once they’d calmed down considerably, Louis shined the light on his comic book and flipped through it with Harry crouched close to him. They animatedly discussed their favorite characters and stories in the series, both of them feeling mischievous for staying up so far past their bedtimes.

A while later, the mood under Louis’ sheets had grown quieter and sleepier. Harry yawned more and more, and Louis finally decided they should be going to sleep relatively soon. He gazed at Harry’s face in the dim light, thinking to himself how pretty he looked like this, with shadows all across his baby face and soft curls.

After a minute of silence while they idly flipped through the book, Louis spoke into the small space under the blanket.

“One time I asked Mum why she always gives me kisses before bed,” Louis began, his voice still a whisper but considerably calmer-sounding this time.

Harry looked at him with interest. “And what’d she say?” he implored predictably.

Louis looked down, fidgeting with the hem of his pajamas. “She said it’s ‘cause she loves me so much,” he answered. He finally met Harry’s eyes and leaned forward, planting a big, lingering kiss on his cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm posting this in honor of Mother's Day, yay!!! Shoutout (SHOUTOUT!) to Anne and Jay for raising such amazing boys.  
> Also, several things I wanted to address:  
> -this takes place in like 2000 so lets not mention the fact that the moms both happened to have cell phones  
> -i'm never ever around kids so I really don't know how they act at the ages of 6 and 8?? so if this seems off to you you're probably definitely right  
> -lastly, I'm not 100% sure on either of their dad situations around this time so I tried to not really include them but oh well
> 
> Come talk to me about what a pretty baby Harry is @ [sunflowerstyles](http://sunflowerstyles.tumblr.com/)  
> Thanks for reading :)


End file.
